Glenfiddich IPA Experiment Zesty and Hoppy 70cl

This one’s for people who like their whisky with a bit of attitude. Glenfiddich’s IPA Experiment is a Speyside single malt finished in casks that previously held India Pale Ale, which means you get classic malt sweetness plus a cheeky burst of citrusy, hoppy freshness.

If most single malts feel a little too “library leather and pipe smoke” for your mood, this is the reset. The IPA cask finish pulls the flavours into brighter territory, think grapefruit peel, lemon zest, and a clean, bready malt note that feels right at home if you’ve ever loved a cold IPA.

• Nose: Grapefruit and lemon zest, honeyed malt, a light grassy hop note.
• Taste: Bright citrus up front, vanilla and biscuit, a subtle hoppy bitterness that keeps it lively.
• Finish: Drying and zesty, with lingering citrus peel, soft spice, and a faint floral, hop-like echo.

What makes it worth your shelf space is how it bridges two worlds without getting weird about it. You still get the Speyside backbone, orchard fruit, gentle sweetness, and that clean malt character, but the IPA-cask twist adds lift and snap, so each sip feels like it has a little extra momentum.

It’s also a solid “conversion bottle” if you’re trying to bring a beer friend into whisky. The flavours are familiar enough to hook them, but layered enough to keep you interested, especially as it opens up in the glass and the citrus, vanilla, and hop notes start trading places.

And yes, it’s still unmistakably single malt. The beer influence doesn’t drown it out, it just sharpens the edges and adds a zesty, modern accent that stands apart from the usual sherry and bourbon cask crowd.

Fun Fact: This came out of Glenfiddich’s Experimental Series, the same playground where they started breaking the “rules” by finishing whisky in unexpected casks like IPA barrels.